


IPI

by LupineLamb



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Anthropomorphic Pokemon, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:53:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24294661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LupineLamb/pseuds/LupineLamb
Summary: IPI can be best described as a real-world urban fantasy, except the fantasy part is that some humans are-- inexplicably-- born as anthropomorphic Pokemon (also known as anthro Pokemon or Pokemorphs), here called hybrids. They get all the powers and durability of their respective Pokémon species, but retain the full range of human intellect, emotion, and capability as well. In essence, they're just really fluffy superhumans.The main character used to be human, but became a Ninetales hybrid under mysterious circumstances. With seemingly no way back, he's chosen to make the most of his new life and new powers at the Hybrid Academy, with the help of some friends along the way.However, things are not as simple as they seem - forces within and without the Academy seek greater power still at any cost, and this shy Ninetales hardly gets a chance to adjust before being tangled up in these machinations. But perhaps this is not all bad; after all, he may be the only one able to stop them.[Ideally updated on a biweekly schedule.]
Kudos: 1





	1. Lugia's Hybrid Academy - Atlanta Campus

Chapter One: Lugia's Hybrid Academy - Atlanta Campus

I awoke covered in a heavy, fireproof blanket. A moment later, my feet brushed against something furry and twitching, startling me and making me sit straight up, heart pounding. I was about to throw the blanket off to see what had crawled in with me, but then I remembered— I had tails now.

Sighing, I swung my legs over the side of my bed, giving myself a moment to test my paws before trusting my balance to them. They were vulpine in shape, but sized up to support a bipedal human...oid… like me, covered in the same silvery fur that coated my body from head to toe.

I shook my head and tried to get my bearings. On the oak nightstand, which faintly flickered with some sort of iridescent coating, was my alarm clock. I glanced at it: 10:51 AM. Sunday, September 22, 2019. I had slept in again.

A tall wardrobe, deep brown with that same rainbow shimmering as the nightstand, stood just beside it. It was a little on the small side, but I didn't really have that many clothes anymore. All my furniture rested on a smooth granite floor and polished stone walls, which, like my quilt and the "Light Screen" enchantment on my dresser, were meant to contain any fire I might produce.

Now that I was more awake, I became aware again of that funny sensation in my tails. I got impressions of things like plants, earth, air, combat… and fire. Lots of fire. According to Kyu, I had a vague sense of the typing and location of every hybrid near me through my tails. Like a sixth sense.

...Kyu. It'd been a while since I'd seen her, come to think of it. Maybe that was for the best.

But I was used to it by now. So I just walked out of the bedroom, turned left, and opened the door just past the lounge area and kitchenette to enter the bathroom. The sink was to my right, with the toilet in another room just ahead and the fire bath behind a heavy iron door to the left. The bathroom too was made out of as much stone, metal, and other non-flammable material as was possible, a stark grey and white palette with only bronze rings and door hinges for color.

Stumbling to the sink, I ran some water— only to yelp at the sheer cold as it splashed into my furry hands. I snatched the nearby hand towel as fast as I could, scrubbing myself clean of the water as if it were acid. Now I was really awake. I grumbled and gave my fox-headed reflection a look of disbelief. How could I forget that I'd become a Fire-type hybrid?

In fact, my whole morning ritual was worthless now, and I'd just forgotten it in my mental haze. The sour taste in my mouth was fairly tame compared to what I was used to; bacteria had a hard time surviving my body temperature now. Or mouth temperature, I supposed. Kyu told me that I could skip brushing my teeth altogether if I just blew a little flame into the sink each morning, but so far that'd been out of my capabilities.

I smacked my lips. My thin, vulpine lips. God, this body still felt so weird. I supposed some fire was worth another try, just to get that taste out of my mouth. I took a deep breath and gathered my thoughts, trying to force my "aura," as Lugia called it, to comply and produce fire. I exhaled, producing billowing heat and a few sparks, but no fire. I hacked for a moment from the exertion of it, then sighed, glancing at my reflection again. My long, shaggy, silvery hair that tumbled down between my tall fox ears, the thick ruff of fur on my chest, the massive tails that naturally held themselves just off the ground… I'd become a Ninetales hybrid in all but ability, it seemed.

I returned to my wardrobe and picked out some clothes to wear more or less at random, but I'd hardly gotten into them when I heard knocking at the front door. My vulpine ears instinctively perked up in response, my tails informed me of darkness-energy, and I headed out of my bedroom to open the front door, revealing a hybrid standing in the hallway.

He was a little shorter than me, but far more fluffy, with brilliant white fur cascading down around his face and a strange, single, blue, scythe-shaped antler growing out of the right side of his head. Both his face and his antler were covered in a thin layer of deep blue fur, and his irises were deep red. On the outer edge of the antler was a dull black covering of sorts. He wore a long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants, but even through it I could tell he had a trim form somewhat softened by a white fur coat. His chest was especially fluffy, and he had pushed most of it out and over the collar of his shirt for comfort, much like I did. Behind him, a thin, blade-like tail waved, blue and edged with black like his antler. He didn't wear shoes, revealing white paws with blue claws. It was aggravatingly difficult to place a hybrid's age by their looks, but I estimated him to be around 20, like me.

He waved a clawed hand at me. "Hello! My name is Hope. You're Eon, correct?"

"Er, my name is…" The words caught in my throat, and my brow furrowed in response.

A moment passed, and the hybrid tilted his head, his smile somehow becoming sweeter. "...Yes?"

Why did it feel so _wrong_ to say my name was Thomas? It's what I'd gone by since the day I was born, but…

…After a moment more of trying, I grunted in defeat.

"...No, you had it right. My name's Eon, yeah."

I hated how relieving that felt to say. God, what a cringey "true name".

Hope simply nodded in response. "It's nice to meet you, Eon. Lugia requested that I show you some things around campus."

"Oh, I've already been around a couple times with some other folks," I quickly replied. "No need to trouble yourself, I know my way around."

After a moment, Hope replied, "Well, you haven't seen an HMA fight yet, have you?"

It sounded familiar, but just barely. Maybe I'd seen it on the news back home. "Isn't that like cockfighting for hybrids?" I asked.

"Cockfighting!" Hope exclaimed, his eyes going wide for a moment. He cleared his throat, and softly said, "I think I'd be very careful about using that description around other hybrids, if I were you."

His tone was polite, but I got the picture. "Egh, sorry. What's it _really_ like, then?"

"Do you mind if we walk and talk?" Hope gestured to the hallway.

I sighed. I wasn't looking forward to going back out again. I know I was probably imagining it, but I could still feel everyone staring at me out there. "Thank you, but can you just tell Lugia I'm not interested? Besides, I'm starting classes here tomorrow, and I'd like to make sure I'm rested and ready for it."

"I understand your concerns, but I promise you'll fit right in at Ash Stadium! You'll be just like anybody else there."

I frowned again. I specifically chose _not_ to mention I felt out of place among hybrids… I bet Lugia told him to say that. So I said, "Even so, I—"

"Erm, Lugia said this is absolutely mandatory for you as well."

I sighed, my shoulders— and tails— slumping a little. I really wasn't feeling up to it, but I was feeling even less up to arguing with a legendary mind-reading god-hybrid. I gestured with some exasperation to Hope. "Lead the way, I guess!"

So Hope led the way. The hallways were built out of the same stone as my dorm room— this was the Fire Dorm, after all, where the academy had apparently dumped all its young Fire-type students for the semester. Anything even remotely flammable was sparse and glowed with that same iridescence as my dorm's furniture, leaving the halls somewhat barren, but I then remembered the college dorm I had last year— this empty cave of a hallway was miles better by comparison.

As we walked, Hope explained, "So, yeah. HMA, or Hybrid Martial Arts, is a style of fighting and self-improvement developed by and for hybrids at the turn of the 20th century. The name is something of a double meaning— it's a martial art for hybrids, but it's also a mix of fighting styles from all around the world."

Hope flexed his hand and the sharp claws he had in place of nails. "For example, I'm learning the Claw Dancer style, which came from East European hybrid immigrants."

"That's a mouthful," I idly commented.

Hope chuckled. "It is! But, as I was saying, the Claw Dancer style is popular with Absol hybrids like me. If you want to learn HMA, you might prefer the Fire Soul or Kitsu Jitsu styles."

I nodded to show I was listening. I had to admit, they all sounded pretty cool, like classes in an RPG.

We made it downstairs, Hope held open the door for me on our way out into Brock Plaza— the central campus for the Hybrid Academy complex. It was at least a mile wide and relatively flat, with concrete sidewalks winding through small grassy fields and patches of flowers. Hybrids, all around high school- or college-aged, chatted, walked, and played throughout the plaza. Some relaxed on the edges of fountains, using their aura to twist the running water in ribbons around themselves and others. In one grassy patch, some hybrids played soccer. Aside from the rainbow of fur, scale, and feather colors on display, it seemed to be going relatively normally.

At least, until some compacted earth erupted from the ground seemingly on its own, launching the soccer ball far away from one of the goal nets. That got an argument started among the players. A shadow then passed over my head, and curious, I looked up.

Hybrids were _flying_ above me. Most of them were bird- or bat-like, but some were literally draconic. They traced lazy circles in the air, or dove and chased one another. One such hybrid let out a distinctly avian squawk as another hybrid crashed into him; I felt a spike of fear as he tumbled to the ground, but he righted himself and continued flying as if nothing had ever happened.

I felt a pang of envy next. It would have been nice to be cursed with the power to fly, rather than become a walking fire hazard. Well, no matter. I'd manage one way or another.

Hope had taken the lead as I watched all the hybrids play, and he led me down a path to the west I hadn't gone before, past the dorms and down a short hill into an expansive field. I could just make out the tree line on the horizon, but the rest of my view was dominated by flat, grassy terrain, uninterrupted except by concrete paths winding around the field and buildings of all colors and shapes scattered throughout it. I found it peculiar for such large buildings to each stand alone in the field— aside from a smaller red annex beside each one, which looked strikingly like an infirmary. Ominous.

"What are all these… buildings?"

"These are the Gyms! There's one for each hybrid type," Hope replied. He pointed with a claw to a vibrant red brick building down a fork in the road. It was surrounded by concrete and gravel, and while I couldn't make out the words over the entrance, the fire-looking sign they were on gave it away. "For example, there's the Fire Gym. You can go there anytime to sharpen your physical or auric skills. While you can visit other Gyms, assuming it doesn't hurt you to be in them, the facilities at the Fire Gym are specifically equipped for a Fire-type like you."

Assuming it doesn't... _hurt_ to be in them? Even more ominous.

Beyond the Fire Gym and Dark Gym and all the other Gyms the Absol hybrid pointed out, we had arrived at a grey building quite unlike the others. It was somewhat round in shape, with high walls and light fixtures poking out at the top. It had no ceiling, from which I gathered that this was a sports stadium. Around it, hybrids streamed in and out; I counted a few dozen in total outside, and based on the distant roar of overlapping conversation, I estimated at least a couple of hundred more inside.

There were two entrances side by side, neither too long, with lines forming in front of each; Hope led me to the shorter one. There was a muscular panda-like hybrid, clearly female despite her bulk. She didn't seem very comfortable in her ill-fitting folding chair, under the too-small pavilion, slouched behind a table a third her height. Combat and darkness, my tails informed me. She regarded us lazily with dark, scowling eyes as we approached. "Students?" she mumbled.

Hope nodded.

She sat up with a grunt and gestured to a device on the table that was little more than a card reader connected to a laptop. Hope took out a wallet and the student ID card in it; I followed suit and swiped my own card through the device after him. The panda girl glanced at the laptop, then waved us on. "You're good to go. Just make sure to come by through here again if you need to leave Ash Stadium for whatever reason."

"Thank you," Hope responded in a far more cheerful tone.

"Uh, thanks," I quickly added as I followed Hope inside.

The building had a ring-like structure, a looping hallway of stands and snack booths surrounding the stadium proper. All around me hybrids went about their own business, getting snacks, socializing, or finding their way to the stadium entrances scattered throughout. With a pang of shame, I realized the wide berth people gave me and the wider eyes they got on seeing me. Well, seeing my tails, that was.

I couldn't blame them, though. Tails were what got me into this mess in the first place. So I kept mine tightly pressed against my back.

Focusing on the moment, I looked elsewhere and saw a couple of normal humans in formal wear, talking to similarly dressed adult hybrids. I caught myself staring; it had been weeks since I'd seen my own kind. Er… my old kind.

I sighed and glanced back at Hope, who gestured to one of the open exits hybrids were streaming in and out of. Lacking the inclination or money to get any food first, I simply followed him through the exit and into the stadium proper.

It felt strikingly similar to a normal college football stadium, and part of me suspected the similarities were intentional. A dozen or two layers of seats wrapped all around the central grassy field, and while only a quarter of them were full today, it was enough to get that crowd energy into the air.

Hope chose some seats a little higher up and away from any other groups of hybrids, which I appreciated. I wasn't really front and center at most events, preferring the edges and sidelines. Still, he and I had a good view of the field, grassy and delineated like any other sports arena.

A box in white paint marked the edges of the main arena, though the outer edge was decorated with eighteen emblems also in white paint— one to represent each hybrid type, it looked like. It was a little smaller than a football field and left ten or so feet of room on my right and left for a bench and a couple of tables. Rest areas for other fighters, I supposed, as well as their way in, based on the wide-open entrances that went beneath the stands. There was a small raised platform on the far side in an indentation, whose purpose I couldn't discern, and that was it, really.

It was empty at that— the only sign that something was happening soon was a song playing through the speakers throughout the stadium. It had no lyrics, just an upbeat, exciting tune with an emphasis on brass instruments.

"When will the fight start?" I asked Hope.

"Battle should be starting at 1:30, so…" He checked the phone in his pocket. "Just a few minutes!"

I nodded. Neither of us said anything for a moment, so I next asked, "Is there, uhh. Anything I should know when watching this? Like the rules and stuff."

"It's just one exhibition match today. It'll be our Fire-type Trainer Anubis versus one of the top Trainers in the state, Maxwell. The fight will go until one of them falls unconscious or surrenders, but it's really rare that any Trainer surrenders a battle. And also, I need you to trust me when I say nobody here— not even the two Trainers— are in any danger from the fighting."

"You keep saying 'Trainer', is that what HMA fighters are called?" I asked, mostly to pass the time. Then I connected a few dots in what he said. "Wait, why do I need to _trust_ you that no one's in danger?"

"A Trainer is a certified _master_ of HMA," Hope clarified. "Since anyone who's reached that point is expected to turn around and train the next generation of hybrids in the art. It's a community thing. As far as danger goes—"

He was cut off by a sudden burst of white light in the middle of the battle field. The audience suddenly erupted into loud cheers, and I realized why just a moment later.

Lugia had teleported into the stadium. He was a little hard to make out from my position thirty feet above him, but his profile was unmistakable. A draconic hybrid covered in smooth, silvery-white skin, nearly ten feet tall, with a beaked face and a spiked mask over each of his eyes. More spikes, thin and rectangular, jutted out of the back of his tuxedo, and a long, thick tail with two spikes on its end was held just off the ground behind him. From when I saw him up close a couple weeks ago, I knew his formal attire was tailored-made to accommodate his spikes and tail both.

Beneath his dress pants were wide, three-toed paws. I doubted anything but specially-made sandals and clown shoes could fit them, so keeping them bare was the smart move. Similarly, in place of normal hands, his arms simply widened into wings coated in that same dolphin-like skin, meaning his tuxedo had to be short-sleeved. Also, the wings ended in broad, flat fingers, which would sound weird to hear, but they looked remarkably fitting on the legendary hybrid.

A purple cat-like hybrid rushed forward to offer him a microphone, which he handled with surprising grace considering his enormous hand-wings. He brought it to his beak, and the sound of him clearing his throat echoed through the stadium, silencing the crowd almost immediately.

"Ahem. Testing, testing…" His voice was deep and gravelly, but remarkably soft and kindly for a hybrid of his size and monstrous features. There was something innately captivating about it too, like I just _needed_ to listen to his every word. "Ah. Good. Good afternoon, everyone. I'm so happy to see you all here for the exhibition match today, where we will see a little more of the depth of what we hybrids are capable of. Now, as much as I would love to wax long about the history and tradition of Hybrid Martial Arts, I believe you came here for an exciting battle, yes?"

A quick round of cheers sharply contrasted the near-silence from a moment before; it died down just as quickly as Lugia chuckled. "Then I won't linger on the topic." He then pumped some excitement into his voice without losing his soft air, raising one wing to the right. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce our fighters today. First, one of Georgia's top HMA Trainers, one of the 2012 state Singles champions, and a brilliant author besides: Maxwell the Pichu!"

I heard a soft crack of thunder that echoed through the stadium. A yellow-furred hybrid— Maxwell, I took it— had suddenly appeared on the right side of the field, electricity writhing across his body and clothes. He was mouse-like, with bright yellow fur and black tips on his ears. He was a little short, too, with wide, diamond-shaped ears and a remarkably jagged black tail that twitched behind him. His outfit was a simple gi, red above the waist, white below, with a black belt dividing the colors. As he energetically waved to the audience, a cheer rose from the crowd, and Hope and I clapped along with them.

Lugia waited for the applause to die down, then continued, "His opponent today will be one of our own, here at the Hybrid Academy." That got the crowd cheering right away. "Our resident Fire-type Trainer, one of the forefathers of the Hellhound style." He raised a wing to the left now. "Anubis the Houndoom!" The crowd roared in response, far louder than they did for Maxwell— talk about home field advantage.

I saw the flames before I saw him. Through the billowing heat, a canine hybrid stepped forward through the left field entrance. He had short black fur with orange-red on his muzzle and chest, though the rest of his torso was covered by a gi identical to Maxwell's. Curling behind his head were a pair of white ram horns, and behind him lashed a thin, triangle-tipped tail.

Ram horns, devil's tail, fiery powers? He was literally a hellhound. His _fighting style_ was called Hellhound, even! If my mom had seen him, she'd—

She'd…

…Best not to dwell on all that.

I forced myself to focus on the demon dog hybrid. Flames swirled around him, searing the grass beneath him black, yet his clothes and the stadium around him seemed untouched by the heat. He stood at the edge of the white line, then inclined his head towards the audience, whose cheers became almost earsplitting in response.

"Standard rules apply," Lugia's voice cut through the crowd, hushing them. "I will referee, and the match will last until either combatant is incapacitated or surrenders. Now then. Trainers! Take your positions!"

Both hybrids stepped over the white lines as Lugia soared to the edge of the field. It took just one flap of his wings, and after gliding through the air for a second, he landed gracefully on the raised platform on the far side of the arena. Lugia then raised his wings into the air, and iridescent walls materialized from the white box going upwards, rising high above even the top of the stadium. Awe rippled from the crowd. The walls shimmered for a moment, then faded; I could only tell they were there if I specifically looked for them.

Flames billowed from Anubis while broad yellow bolts of electricity arced from Maxwell to the field around him. The audience began to cheer again. "Let today's exhibition match…" Lugia proclaimed.

"Begin!"


	2. Exhibition

[Battle Theme: Steve Ouimette’s cover of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”]

Maxwell the Pichu vanished with a crack of thunder. A moment later I saw him, flames swirling in vortices from where he had literally bolted through, dropping his foot down on Anubis’s head.

The Houndoom was brushing aside the blow by the time my eyes caught up with Maxwell. His fist caught fire as he threw it at the mouse-like hybrid, and his mouth filled with flames as he attempted to  _ bite _ Maxwell’s wide ear. Both tooth and claw caught only sparks as Maxwell weaved through the assault.

The Trainers separated, jumping backwards out of the electric inferno to opposite sides of the arena. More fire swirled and roared around Anubis while electricity arced in shrieks and crackles from Maxwell. Overhead, what seemed to be smoke instead coalesced into dark grey clouds that hovered just above the stadium, trapped into a peculiar square shape by the psychic force field Lugia had erected. Rain began to fall, hissing as drops fell into the fire below. Anubis then charged, Maxwell darting at an angle to intercept.

His whole body dancing with deep crimson flames, the hound hybrid threw hit after hit at his crackling opponent. Electricity darted up his body with every strike that landed, but Maxwell was wincing far more from burning claws and teeth. I shuddered as the flames suddenly burned black. My tails were overwhelmed by impressions of darkness and heat.

Maxwell tried to pepper Anubis with hits of his own, but it was clear Anubis outmatched him up close. Finally a good block and quick duck gave him the space to dart away—

—giving Anubis a clear shot at his back. The Houndoom coughed up a small ball of fire that exploded like a massive bomb against Maxwell. The Pichu stumbled, regained his footing, then regarded Anubis, who was concentrating his infernal aura close to him. Rain began to immediately burst into steam before it even got close to the hellhound.

Maxwell grinned.

Fire exploded beneath Anubis’ paws, launching him at Maxwell like a missile from hell. I blinked; when my eyes opened, Maxwell was beside Anubis, letting electricity arc from his fingers to Anubis’s neck. The dog-like hybrid growled, seemingly suppressing convulsions, then swept his leg under the Pichu.

Maxwell leapt up and over the Houndoom in response, keeping up his Tesla coil-like assault. At least until burning canine teeth snapped at his fingers, and the mouse hybrid was forced to back off. Dropping to all fours, Anubis howled and jumped at Maxwell, who evaded the pounce, but not the blast of fire that erupted as he landed.

The Pichu attempted to capitalize on Anubis standing up thereafter, but he only got a searing slash across the arm in return. What followed was a flurry of blows from the hellhound; while not many of the claw swipes landed, the crimson flames that burst from their wake were far harder to avoid.

Even so, Maxwell looked ready to explode with the amount of electricity struggling to escape his diminutive frame, and my tails were similarly uneasy; I could hardly sense even Anubis’ fire now, compared to that much electric energy. When at last he darted away from Anubis, it was with a sound like thunder, and twenty feet were immediately between them. 

Raising both hands palm-up to the sky, Maxwell unloaded all of his stored power. Electricity boomed and crackled and flashed, a million spidery threads of light that consumed the clouds above, lighting them up from the inside, causing them to grow larger. I heard a loud rumbling. My fur stood on end. Anubis barrelled forward…

...and lightning struck the Houndoom with an ear-splitting  _ crack _ . The flash of light that came with it was seared into my retina for a moment or two, along with the after-image of a very pained hybrid.

But that hybrid looked anything but pained as he proceeded to blast a massive jet of fire into the clouds. Hurting, sure, but more than anything, Anubis looked  _ enraged _ . He then roared, darkness pouring out from him like a reverse fire.

I could just hear Maxwell laugh as lightning struck the hound again. Then again. And again.

The Pichu zipped around the battlefield, always keeping several feet away from Anubis as bolts continued to rain from the clouds above. Maxwell got struck too, on more than one occasion, but every jolt of electricity seemed to  _ renew _ him, in contrast to the convulsing Anubis.

But even thunder and lightning couldn’t stop the Houndoom. Jets of fire burst from his mouth like a canine dragon, shockwaves of pure dark energy occasionally pulsing from his body and through the burning remnants of the battlefield. Quick as Maxwell was, evading fire and brimstone like that was just impossible.

It was taking its toll on them both. I could see Anubis moving slower, and Maxwell I could now just barely follow, his lightning petering out at the same time. Anubis paused his assault to breathe fire into the clouds, which cleared up at last, putting an end to Maxwell’s lightning bolt attack. 

...Was the field… always that bright? No, things were definitely far brighter now; colors were washed out, and I saw Hope put a hand on his head to block some of the new sun. I felt just fine. Better, even, though I couldn’t explain why. Maybe it had something to do with my suddenly euphoric tails soaking in renewed fire-energy.

The fires consuming the battlefield burned higher than ever after that, and I could just make out the look of worry on Maxwell’s face. He was getting desperate. This time he was the one to charge Anubis, dashing right through him with a crack of thunder.

Anubis growled, whirling around as he attempted to track his foe. But over and over, Maxwell managed to blindside him, leaving the hellhound crackling with electricity.

With a roar more like a lion than a dog, Anubis  _ pulsed _ with darkness. The black shockwave was a heavy contrast to the over-bright field, and as it hit the forcefield, the iridescent walls shattered like glass.

They were back up hardly a second later, but the crowd still gasped in awe.

Maxwell had doubled over from the force of the shockwave, coughing and stumbling, barely able to lift his head as Anubis dropped to all fours.

The hellhound pounced, pinning the mouse beneath claws and teeth.

I watched his canine maw open, his throat flaring with light that got brighter, hotter…

A jet of fire burst from Anubis’ mouth, engulfing Maxwell completely.

It… it didn’t end. The stadium was deadly quiet, and I felt an icy chill run down my spine. Nobody could survive an inferno like that.

I nearly flinched as Hope’s hand touched mine. “He’s  _ fine _ . I promise. This is what it takes at the highest level.”

At least thirty seconds passed before the fire finally dissipated. Anubis glanced at the badly singed but remarkably whole Maxwell. His gi was in tatters, wounds and burns made a mess of body, but miraculously, the hybrid was in one piece.

Anubis stood.

Maxwell did not.

Lugia’s voice echoed through the stadium. “Maxwell is no longer able to battle. Anubis has claimed victory!”

Cheers exploded all around me, and I found myself covering my ears at the prolonged volume. Anubis leaned backwards to howl at the sun in triumph. Meanwhile, another hybrid— pink with curious elephant-like ears— rushed onto the field. They knelt beside Maxwell and, palms out towards the Pichu, emitted pink pulses of energy. Skin reknit itself, bright yellow fur regrew. Maxwell stirred, and with help from Anubis, stood upright again. The cheers became even more earsplitting.

I watched the two bow to each other, then to Lugia, with my jaw agape. Not two minutes ago I thought that mouse hybrid was dead. Then, just a moment ago, he was definitely unconscious and seriously injured. And now he looked no worse for— well, scratch that, he had to lean on Anubis as the two made their exit.

Still. Just how tough were hybrids, really? No wonder Mom was always so nervous around them.

…I forced myself to turn to Hope. “So. That’s HMA, huh?”

Hope shushed me (but nodded) and pointed at Lugia, who was clearing his throat into the microphone again.

“What a spectacular show of power and skill,” the dragon spoke. “I think we’re all in awe of Anubis’s undying strength and power, of Maxwell’s lightning-fast speed and expert battlefield control. 

“It is my firm belief that all of us hybrids have similar power stirring deep within, all expressed in our unique ways. A Fire-type may write with burning passion, an Ice-type may coolly challenge the hardest problems of today, a Dragon-type may ferociously defend their loved ones and their values— all of these are skills no less fantastic than what we have seen here today.”

Lugia hummed wistfully. “Apologies. I just can’t miss a chance to point out the best in you all, our upcoming generation. So I will spare you any further sappy ramblings and bid you all a good day. On behalf of the Hybrid Academy HMA chapter, thank you for coming.”

With a powerful stride, Lugia walked out of the battlefield after the combatants, and the hybrids around me followed suit in leaving the stadium. I rose with Hope, and together we left Ash Stadium, talking along the way.

“So to answer your question from before, yes.  _ That  _ is Hybrid Martial Arts,” Hope told me with a wide smile.

I could feel my body pulsing with some kind of energy, from my heart outward all the way out to the tips of my tails. Brutal as the fighting was, it was… exciting, too. I felt like I’d come out of an action movie at the theaters, only to realize that I had been living in its setting the whole time.

“What are… ordinary hybrids capable of, so to speak?”

Hope glanced my way. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, Anubis and Maxwell. They basically controlled the  _ weather _ , and I can’t even breathe fire! So what can a hybrid like me really hope to do, with enough practice?”

Hope gave a casual shrug. “All of that and more?”

“Really?”

“Really! Nearly every hybrid is capable of that level of mastery. It’s just a matter of putting in the practice and training. Natural talent helps too, I suppose, but even that only gets you so far.”

Strangely, though, that thought didn’t excite me. Logically, yes, I  _ understood _ what he meant, but I didn’t really truly  _ believe _ I could be capable of something like that. See it on TV, see it in hybrids, sure. But I just felt like some normal person… fur and tails notwithstanding.

So I just nodded. “And how do you go about, uh, learning to do all that?” We had returned to Brock Plaza by now, and so sat down together on one of its concrete benches. I tilted to one side to drape my tails over the edge of it and away from Hope.

The Absol replied, “You’re already signed up, I think! It’s a policy here that you need to take Intro to HMA your first semester. That’ll be your first step, and if you want to learn more, your Trainer can tell you where to go next.”

My eyes went wide. I remembered a strange class called “Introduction to Physical and Auric Conditioning - Fire” on my study plan, and how stranger still that it was required right out the gate. “So that’s what it is! Learning to use fire and stuff like that, that’s just, like, a regular class here?”

Hope shrugged and smiled at my fascination. “It’s the Hybrid Academy for a reason.”

What’s more, I had that class  _ tomorrow _ . Could I really learn to do what Anubis and Maxwell did today?

There was only one way to find out.


	3. Fox Fire

The next afternoon, I approached the Fire Gym with some mix of trepidation and nervous excitement. My classes up until now had been almost painfully mundane— sure, they were made more colorful by the abundance of hybrids in my classes, but English 102 was English 102 whether or not a talking swan was teaching it. But  _ this  _ class promised to be “Hybrid 101” from how Hope explained it, and it took place in the brick building I now approached, three days a week from 2 to 3 PM. Yesterday I found myself wishing it was twice that.

I turned my mind back to the building. In contrast to most of the other Gyms scattered through the grassy field— Ash Field, I learned it was called— gravel and concrete surrounded the Fire Gym, infirmary and all. I wondered whether it was because of the danger of a fire breaking out, or if the groundskeepers had just gotten tired of replanting burned grass.

The Gym itself looked far from flammable. A massive brick structure in a fiery red color, with bright orange stones carved to look like flames perched on the roof. Large rock letters, carved into a fire-like sculpture above the entrance, read, “Blaine Fire Gym, est. 1998”. The way to the front entrance was a granite staircase with metal railings— railings that I swore looked just a little bit twisted or melted. On the pavilion surrounding the front entrance were backpacks piled all around; following suit, I dropped my backpack among them, and simply prayed my clothes would be fine.

Before entering, I saw a small screen display by the glass door. A plaque above with a fire hazard symbol read, “WARNING! Unless naturally resistant to the Fire-type, DO NOT TOUCH THE DOOR and DO NOT ENTER when temperature exceeds 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Extremely painful and dangerous burns may result!”

The screen displayed a temperature of 170 degrees.

Then I tapped the door handle, getting the impression that it was searing hot. But at the same time, it was this surreal feeling where my body  _ registered _ the handle as being as hot as a stovetop, but there wasn’t an ounce of pain, nor did my hand get the least bit burned. It was merely pleasantly hot. Amazing. I wrapped my fingers around the door handle and pushed it open, hot air billowing out to greet me.

Inside, white marble floors brightened a massive, open gym with some the most peculiar features I’d seen— in addition to the usual weights and treadmills (which of course shimmered with Light Screen), multiple pillars of lumpy, tan-colored rock were erected along one wall, with a couple of hybrids each breathing fire directly onto one. I wondered why. There was a massive bonfire burning along the back wall with hybrids walking around inside of it, and beside it were a couple of grills heated with the griller’s own summoned fire.

There were a few large mats for sparring tucked along one corner, too, and two hybrids were already taking advantage of it; their combat was not nearly as flashy as the battle I’d seen yesterday, but I still found something to admire in their practiced, focused strikes. Their blows were punctuated with bursts of fire, but it seemed more like a magical  _ kiai _ than another means of attack.

And then there was a group of about 20 hybrids sitting and idling in three wide rows, Anubis himself standing vigilant at the front, unmoving, not speaking. He occasionally glanced to the side at a clock on the wall. I felt my tails curling tightly against my back as I approached him and the rest of my class. Knowing that the scary hellhound guy was my instructor was one thing, but seeing him standing right in front of me was something else entirely. Then again, it  _ was _ an introductory course, so hopefully—

…I finally recognized the golden-furred hybrid, front and center before Anubis with her nine tails sprawled out behind her. Tall, athletic, practically shining with lustrous fur, her posture one of ease, yet power.

Kyu.

I gulped, a lot of mixed feelings churning in my stomach. I didn’t know how well I’d be able to focus knowing that  _ she _ was here. But… no matter. I was here to learn, and I wouldn’t let my past with her get in the way.

I took a seat on the far left side of the back row, about as far away from her as I could get. Petty, maybe, but I had other things to worry about now. Besides, I wasn’t quite comfortable being around hybrids in general, still. I still felt… Other. 

Next to where I sat was an orange turtle boy who, in contrast to my tense demeanor, just looked happy to be there. In place of a shirt, he wore— or simply had, I supposed— a bulky charcoal-grey shell.

He gave me a glance as I sat down, and I tried not to notice him shifting away from my tails. “Ah, ‘scuse me there, Mr. Ninetales. I don’t believe I recognize ya!” he said in a thick Southern accent.

Something about that accent put me a little at ease; it sounded like home.“Oh, yessir, I’m new here,” I replied, more smoothly— and more accented— than I expected. “It’s nice to meet ya; I’m Eon.”

“The name’s Smokey; it’s a pleasure to meet ya as well! So, y’ever take an HMA class before?”

“First time,” I admitted.

“Figured as much! Just don’t let Anubis get to ya then. He freaked all of us out the first day!”

My eyes went wide, and my face pulled into an awkward grin. “Freaked y’all out—”

“STAND!”

The voice boomed through the hall, even catching some of the other gym-goers off guard. I jumped a bit at the voice, then followed the hybrids around me in standing up and taking some kind of vigilant stance.

Anubis’s fiery eyes scanned the rows of students for a moment or two. “We will warm up with Fire Soul, First Stanza. BEGIN!”

I cringed again at the loud bark, then did my best to copy the movements of those around me. Compared to their practiced, fluid strikes and kicks and even bites, I felt embarrassingly sloppy and slow. Anxious, too; what an introduction, being thrown right in the thick of it! Though I didn’t catch anyone looking, I still couldn’t help but feel everyone was keenly aware of me slowly, terribly stumbling my way through this first stanza, whatever that meant.

To make matters worse, the martial art movements were now and then augmented with bursts of fire: breathing a stream of flames high into the air (I only managed a handful of sparks), punching with a burning fist (I think I managed to warm up my hand), even causing fire to explode from their whole body at once (I didn’t even know where to begin).

Finally, everyone returned to that original vigilant stance. I grimaced to myself. I was feeling particularly uncomfortable now, but as long as I could survive today, I’d—

“EON!” Those crimson eyes burned right into me. He gestured for me to come to the front.

...Well, then. Wincing, I approached, my tails pulled down against my legs, my tall ears pressed flat against my head. I didn’t mean to do any of that, no more than a person would mean to turn their face red when they feel embarrassed; I just did.

“Do you know any Fire Soul Stanzas?” Those were the first words he spoke at a normal volume; a canine growl never seemed to leave his voice, but at least he didn’t sound angry.

“Erm, no, sir.” I glanced away submissively.

“ _ Look me in the eyes when I am speaking to you! _ ” There was that ferocious anger again.

“Yes, sir!” I yelped, bringing my eyes up to his, my heart beating like a drum. I suddenly noticed how much taller he was up close.

“Do you know any Stanzas at all?”

“No, sir.”

“Do you know how to strike with proper form?”

“No, sir.”

“Can you summon fire on command?”

“...Not at all, sir.” 

The hound went quiet for a moment. I tried not to let my building anxiety show, instead just maintaining eye contact, keeping still and quiet. Did he really have to do this in front of everyone?

Finally, he was the one to glance away, turning his canine head to the rows of students. “KYU!” he barked.

My heart lurched.

She snapped right to his side in a single, fluid motion. “Yes, sir!” she barked back.

“You will train Eon here personally until further notice. Get him up to speed as quickly as possible; one week if you can.”

She made a very awkward smile in return. “Ah, with all due respect, sir, Eon and I—”

“ _ Why are you here, Kyu? _ ” the growly voice cut through whatever she was about to say.

Rather than cringing like I did, she simply brought her expression back to neutral, and drew herself up to her full height, standing just as tall as him. “While I am here as your assistant, to learn to train others in the art of HMA, a good Trainer will recognize when she is not suited to teaching a student and politely decline.”

“Bullshit. You two are the only Ninetales on this campus and I’m busy.” His tone left no room for discussion.

Kyu gave me a quick glance before letting out a quick exhale. “Very well, sir. I’ll do my best.”

She looked to me again, this time inclining her head to one of the open sparring mats. “C’mon, Eon.”

With her ahead, I followed, copying her habit of curling her tails into a compact fan shape against her back— it seemed like a good way to keep them from brushing against anything or anyone. She stood on one side of the mat’s center line and I on the other, then dropped her neutral expression into something of an apologetic smile; her body immediately returned to that kind of energetic ease she had before. “Ahh, well. I did try to get you out of it. I hope it’s alright that I’m the one to tutor ya.”

I shrugged in response, words not coming to me.

“Guess neither of us have a choice,” she continued. “Um. Anyway. Have you been alright, classes been okay, all that?” Her body language was rather animated, adding even more energy to her tone, but I could sense that something about it was still forced. She was trying to act normal around me.

“Uh. Yeah, more or less. Still getting used to everything after… yeah.”

“Yeah,” she replied in kind, her face going somber for a moment. She shook it off quick, though, and continued, “So! Where to begin, um… You said you can’t breathe fire, right?”

“I can’t  _ anything _ fire,” I clarified. “Little sparks if I really try, I guess?”

“Huh…” She looked up, her eyes darting around in thought. “So… I  _ think _ that’s probably a good thing, ‘cause like, the hardest lesson for beginners is usually learning to put the breaks on the fire so you can go out and  _ not _ burn down wherever you live. But then again, teaching you how to summon fire at all… Usually hybrids just… can! You really can’t just…” She waved her hands around, fire pooling out from her palms and leaving streaks in the air. “...That?”

My ears tucked back. “Um… no. I can’t. Is there something wrong with me?”

“No, no!” she quickly responded, what little tension she did have quickly melting away, as if she had already forgotten it’s me she’s speaking to. “Not necessarily, um. Okay, what do you do when you try ‘n get those sparks?”

“I just focus as much as I can and sorta like… imagine using all my aura to breathe fire?”

“Can you show me?”

I blinked. “I guess I can try.” I turned a bit to the side, then tried to follow my own instructions. I imagined calling forth my aura, visualized as some vague, fiery energy, then willed it to all pool in my maw as I breathed out. The air billowed with heat, but no fire. Not even a spark. I winced. “Sorry, I guess I’m kinda on the spot here—”

“No, that’s okay! In fact, that tells me everything I need to know.”

“Oh?”

She took a moment to think. “Here. Lemme put it this way. I want you to  _ imagine _ moving your arm around. Raising it up, swinging it back ‘n forth, whatever you want! Just get that image real clear in your head.”

“O… kay…?” I replied, simultaneously thoroughly confused while also dutifully imagining my arms flailing all about.

“Okay, now  _ actually _ lift up your arm.”

I complied.

Then something clicked.

Kyu must have seen my flash of insight, because her smile became a wild grin. “Yeah, you see what I’m saying? You’re overthinking it!”

I nodded, understanding. “So if I… well, not try  _ not _ to try, but uhh… I guess, have it happen naturally? Then I can breathe fire?”

“Well, go for it!”

So I tried again (or didn’t try, I guess), this time trusting myself to do just what comes naturally when it came to fire. 

But what came naturally, apparently, was nothing but bad breath.

Kyu frowned. “Hm. Alright. Let me think…” She was quiet for a minute or two, shifting her weight between her paws, tails curling and brushing over one another idly. Then she clapped her hands together. “Okay! I’m gonna try not to go too deep into theory here, but, uh… Okay, I want you to put aside everything you think you know about aura. Don’t trust anything you’ve ever heard about it for this, got it?”

I nodded, slowly.

“I still think instinct is the right approach, see. But like… Gah, well,  _ normally _ this technique is taught in the context of all this complex arcane aura theory, but I guess the theory itself isn’t  _ that _ important to know right now…” She took a moment to collect herself. “Right. So. I just want you to… intend to breathe fire. That’s it. Just the most basic, simple wish to have fire coming out your mouth, y’know? Now, it’s alright if you don’t pull off a Flamethrower right away! I just want that to be in your mind for this technique. Oh, and have a seat while you do.”

I dutifully sat on the shimmering mat. “But I thought I wasn’t supposed to think about breathing fire,” I added.

“It’s not like that! It’s like… agghh, I’m terrible at explaining it. This is all like ‘Level Zero’ or ‘Level Negative One’ stuff I’m trying to teach you, y’know? Stuff you learn  _ after _ the fact, when you already know how to do it and now you’re learning how it all really works. Except here, uh…”

I tried not to wince. “I understand,” I replied instead.

“Great! Okay, so, once you’ve got that intent in your mind, I want you to really, personally, directly feel your breath— every inhale, every exhale— and especially any Fire aura that comes with it. No thinking, no imagining, it’s all gonna get in the way. You should have an innate sense for your own Fire aura, so try to feel it directly, y’know?”

“I… think so. Like, using my tails?”

“ _ Not _ your tails, actually! That’s kind of a Ninetales-specific trait, but this exercise is meant for all Fire-types! You should have an innate sense for your own aura just as like… I dunno, part of being a hybrid?” She shrugged.

“How do other hybrids sense aura, then?”

Kyu shrugged. “When it comes to one’s own, we just all do. Honestly I’m more surprised you  _ don’t _ feel it.”

I took a moment to digest her words. “If you say so,” I sighed. “I’ll give it a go.” Following her instructions, I tried to open my mind and watch my breath and inner fire with my senses, not my thoughts. In, out, in, out. At first, I didn’t see any difference… beyond feeling terribly self-conscious with Kyu watching me so intently.

“Still nothing,” I commented after a minute or two.

“Keep going,” Kyu insisted.

So I kept going. In, out, in, out, over and over. Another couple minutes passed, and then something… changed. I couldn’t put it into words. It was like there was… suddenly more space in my mind, I guess? I mentally explored it, getting this distinct impression of fire, before I suddenly realized—

My next exhale came with a little stream of fire.

“Yes! Fuck yeah!” Kyu cheered, fist pumping. Her tails wagged in unison as she sat on her knees beside me, her expression bright. “See? Not hard at all!”

“I really don’t know how I even did that, though,” I admitted, softly. Despite my bewilderment, I was still in awe— I could breathe fire. Actually. Breathe.  _ Fire _ .

“Maybe not,” Kyu replied, “But your body knows, and that’s what counts!”

I nodded, then tried again to make a flame. Nothing this time; I’d been reduced back to sparks. I scowled, and Kyu’s smile turned sympathetic. “Still need to practice,” she explained. “Why don’t we spend the rest of the class period on that?”

“And you’re just gonna watch?”

“Yeah, in case you need a little more guidance or you have questions I can answer. But I can go ‘n like, practice on my own for a bit if you’re feeling self-conscious about it.” She gestured to the lumpy rock pillars.

“Uh, I don’t mind either way,” I replied quickly. “I should just continue on with this in any case, right?”

“Mhm. You got this, Eon.”

“Thanks. I sure hope so.”

She gave me a pat on the shoulder, then took a few steps back before sitting again. With her watching from afar, I got right back to trying to summon fire. I had to be oddly careful about keeping the right state of mind when I did get a flame going. It was like… some part of me— quiet and subtle and easily drowned out— just knew what to do, and I had to let that part of me do its job without the rest of me getting in the way.

The flickering flame before me slowly steadied, and from there, it was nearly self-sustaining— the fascination of watching fire flow from my maw, brightening and dimming, rising and falling, was enough to keep my mind quiet. Inwardly, I could just about feel the roiling energy it came from, like this pool of pure fire-essence deep within me, flowing almost like water into my maw to manifest as flames.

It wasn’t long before Anubis barked, “CLASS DISMISSED!” and a rainbow of hybrids went streaming out of the gym. My fire sputtered out, then, and I stood as Kyu came bounding back to me— she had apparently gone to those pillars after all— her eyes wide.

“Holy shit, dude!” she exclaimed. “Did you really do that flamethrower meditation the whole time?”

I blinked, suddenly realizing that it had been over half an hour. “Um. Yes?”

“Damn! I was just gonna get some training in ‘til ya got bored or tired, ‘cause like,  _ everyone _ gets bored of that one like immediately. How— how did it feel?”

“Good, I think. I feel more calm? And I think…” I turned to the side a little, took a breath, and blew out a humble stream of fire. “...Yeah, I think I’m getting the hang of this!”

“Okay.” She clasped her hands together, eyes shifting as she spoke. “Okay, this is good, I’m glad we chanced on a good technique for you so early. So! You still have my contact info, right? I’m gonna send you an email with resources on exercises similar to that. I want you to go somewhere fireproof— your dorm’s fire bath, maybe— and practice them as homework! On Wednesday I guess we’re doing all of this again, so I’ll be teaching ya the more physical side of things then. Won’t do ya no good in a fight if all you can do is sit there and breathe.” She grinned and winked at me. I managed a half-smile in return.

Kyu took it in stride. “Also, feel free to text me, email me, at me, whatever if you’ve got questions. And even if you just want to hang out, I…” She paused then, her expression shifting almost imperceptibly. She seemed to regard me differently all of a sudden, and her voice became softer after that. “...Well, I’ll understand either way. Sound good?”

I nodded. “Sounds good, yeah. Thanks for all your help, Kyu.” I kept my tone neutral very much on purpose. I think we both knew how much wasn’t being said, but we had both agreed to put it behind us.

“You’re welcome!” Back to that forced cheer, giving me another pat on the shoulder before striding past. “Catch ya ‘round, Eon!”

“Catch you later,” I replied. As she left, I watched those golden tails flowing behind her, and lost myself in memory.


	4. Guardian Angel

Kyu’s email came hardly an hour after HMA class ended. Curious as I was to put the new practices to use, however, I was swamped with enough forms and catch-up homework and just the general process of adjusting to a new routine until the next day.

Tuesdays, luckily, came with only one class early in the morning (Calculus I, taught by a pink cat who held his whiteboard marker with telekinesis), after which I was free to do as I pleased. So I finished up the rest of my homework quickly but thoroughly in order to give myself the most time I could with my fire practice.

I reclined on my dorm’s couch just after noon, worked around my claws to open the email on my phone, and read:

_ PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make sure you do the fire extinguishing practice first!! It completely slipped my mind today but it’s REALLY important that you know how to put out any fires you start before anything else! Trust me in the Fire-type community not being able to put out a fire is like shitting your pants on the embarrassment scale even if you DON’T wreck anything. But as always practice in a fireproof space so maybe don’t move on until you can fully put out your own fire bath? _

_ Anyway here’s some links to some standard Kitsu Jitsu techniques. You’ll probably really like this style if you liked that meditation so much. Read up and get practicing, I’ll see you on Wednesday! _

What followed was a series of links, all leading to professional-looking HMA websites detailing various practices— the fire extinguishing one, of course, the First Stanza of Kitsu Jitsu, and… I paused for a moment looking at the page on the Sunny Day technique. The ability to banish clouds and brighten sunlight— controlling the weather like those Trainers is just a basic maneuver? I wasn’t sure whether to feel excited or daunted.

But, I wasn’t about to put my excitement ahead of my sensibilities. I would learn things in the correct order, if only to avoid the embarrassment of not knowing the fundamentals! And it was a good time for a bath anyway, so I figured I might as well knock out two birds with one stone.

First I scanned the article on auric fire extinguishing, which re-emphasized Kyu’s point on it being a critical Fire-type skill. I committed the process to memory, then headed to the bathroom. There, I opened the heavy iron door in the wall, revealing a small chamber lit by lights in the wall behind thick glass windows. A stone basin took up most of the room, but near the entrance was a fan, a vent, stacks of wood of various sizes, a tinderbox, and a collection of wire brushes. 

Now this thing was interesting. Like any other person, I’d get dirty and smelly if I went too long without bathing. But given how sensitive most Fire-types were to water, just taking a shower wasn’t really an option. Instead, we burned off the grime, and afterwards brushed out the rest.

I turned the fan on, made sure the vent in the ceiling was open, then began preparing a fire like I’d always done while camping, arranging small sticks into a teepee of sorts around the kindling. 

…I kept my mind steadfastly in the moment as I worked. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on the past.

I’d been given a lighter, and told it was for those days when my inner fire burned low, but I had a feeling I was the only one so thoroughly incapable of summoning flames on command and they were just being polite. Regardless… Well, it was time to see how much I remembered.

I took a moment to collect my thoughts and sense my aura, just like I had done yesterday. This time it came to mind right away, and seemed to yearn for release, for manifestation. I obliged it, exhaling a thin stream of fire that got the wood burning right away.

Then I smiled wide. I felt like a proper Fire-type at last.

I piled more logs on, tossed my clothes outside, then stepped in myself, prodding the glowing, crumbling wood until there was a thin layer of red coals all along the bottom of the basin. I couldn’t explain why the smoke didn’t bother me, not in my lungs nor my eyes. More Fire-type shenanigans, I presumed.

Similarly, I felt so suffused with warmth and energy and light as burning-hot air billowed around me. The logs— cedar wood, I think— produced a strong, almost spicy aroma as they burned, which began soaking into my fur, like a substitute for scented shampoo. It felt so strange but luxurious, and yet every Fire-type was just expected to bathe this way.

I took a while to relax in the heat and the smoke, and afterward recalled how the extinguishing technique, Heat Sap, was meant to work. It seemed to be much like the meditation I did the day before, just in reverse. That is, fire is in all cases a physical manifestation of Fire Aura, and all Fire-types should be able to draw that aura back within themselves to put out the flames.

It made me curious whether other types had similar techniques; could a Water-type banish a puddle from existence?

Regardless, I was further admonished to physically put a hand into the fire to extinguish at first; contact would make it easier, apparently. So I crouched down with my hand on one burning log, closed my eyes, and focused. Following the instructions, I tried to sense not only the heat of the flames, but its very essence, something only I as a Fire-type could truly understand…

...Ah. Was that it? It felt  _ somewhat _ like my aura, I supposed. In any case, the next step was to draw that aura into me with a deep breath, so I inhaled, and—

The flames around me flickered. Vanished. My breath caught.

From the smouldering logs came a new batch of fire.

I shrugged to myself. A shame I couldn’t get it right away, but not bad for my first attempt either. So I recollected my thoughts and tried again and again. Each time I was able to put out most of the flames, but never enough of the heat to keep the fire from springing right back up again.

Eventually the logs had burned down enough that there wasn’t any fire at all to extinguish. I got up, then, and turned a valve on the wall, causing water to flow through tiny grates in the basin and fully extinguish the bath. I turned the valve back once the water had stopped hissing, then sat on a stool by the entrance to start brushing out soot.

I had a lot of fur to get through, and I still felt like some kind of pet dog as I pulled the wire brush across my arms, my chest, my tails, my hair, frequently shaking out all the soot and ash before brushing more.

I was left with a lot of time to contemplate. I was feeling more and more comfortable with my life here each day. I supposed I wasn’t still particularly happy with it, given what it cost me, but throwing away the gifts it had brought— a free education and housing, not to mention literal superpowers— wouldn’t really do me any good. I had my situation. I’d make the most of it.

But still… I was left wondering  _ why _ . Why was I transformed, and how, for that matter? Why do hybrids have such miraculous powers and humans don’t? Where do they come from— where does  _ aura _ come from in the first place? Maybe the answers to how I ended up here lied in understanding how it was possible at all.

I’d gotten nowhere at all with those questions by the time my fur was fully brushed out. It was an awfully comforting feeling, having a pelt so smooth and soft again, The brushes were miraculous at cleaning off the smoke that clung to me as well— my silvery fur had gone from tarnished to a polished luster in hardly fifteen minutes.

I got a new set of clothes on— just another T-shirt and pair of jeans— and along the way resolved to go outside. Maybe I could learn a thing or two about the Sunny Day technique, now that I was starting to see the Fire Aura within and without myself.

Then again, the sun already burned hot and bright out in Brock Plaza, which seemed to draw out more Fire-type students than usual. Now I was starting to understand why; it was so tempting to let my tails flare out behind me and soak up the heat and light— and aura, too. The world seemed to have all new colors now thanks to just those two days of training, adding a layer of vibrancy I could have never even grasped before. Simply beautiful.

But my rapture was short-lived. I heard a faint rush before, in a single instant, a hybrid had dropped down in front of me from the sky, wind bursting out from around them. Out of instinct I yelped and jumped backwards, then automatically raised my tails up and out behind me in some kind of warning gesture. Sheepishly, I curled them up into a fan-shape again, once my thinking brain realized this hybrid meant no harm.

Or… did she? The hulking, hawk-like hybrid, towering over me at easily seven feet tall, had her face in a scowl, glaring at me with frightening intensity. Brown and white feathery tufts flared out from either side of her face, and a crest of red-tipped feathers curled from the back of her head over between her eyes in a curious sort of mohawk-like comb. Her arms were winged, with massive primary feathers extending from her wrists down.

Between them, her coat of white and brown thinned out on her chest, and the flimsy tank top over it did nothing to hide the sheer musculature of her figure. Beneath that were trunk-like legs ending in wickedly taloned feet, covered only barely by short, frayed shorts, and behind her I caught a glimpse of broad grey and brown tail feathers. I got impressions of flight and wind from her through my tails, but also of… Hm, “mundanity” wasn’t quite the word. Versatility, formlessness, the quiet power of the everyday and ubiquitous. That was it.

She pointed a clawed, scaly finger at me, the same yellow as her feet, and I gulped at the claw on the end of it— one of several obsidian daggers growing out of her hand. “You’re Eon. Hope’s friend. Right?” Her voice was deep to match her size, yet still noticeably feminine. Her glower never went away.

“U-uhh, I’m Eon, yeah,” I stammered out. “But I-I don’t know if I can really call Hope and myself  _ friends _ considering—”

“Good, now follow me. I want you to settle an argument.” She took off again, one flap of her wing-arms sending her ten feet in the air, and flew towards Misty Campus.

...Did she even hear me? Whatever. If that Absol guy needed me, I supposed the least I could do was check it out. So I went running off after the strange bird girl, glancing up at the sky to watch her approach, then circle over an area, looking for all the world like a massive bird of prey.

Misty Campus was a little more quiet and cramped than the other areas of the academy. Tall, stately buildings were erected all around a wooded central area, where hybrids took to reading, writing, or just walking on the meandering paths. This was the main center for academic pursuits, with each building dedicated to a field of study, like mathematics, physics, literature, and so forth. They didn’t quite have the flair of the Gyms, but the modest architecture fit the peaceful atmosphere rather well.

Then again, “peaceful” may not have been the best word to describe the campus today. “...None of your  _ fucking business _ who I spend time with!” a distant, female voice shrieked. I blinked, then began to run faster once I recognized the voice. Kyu.

“There’s no need to raise your voice,” a male voice calmly replied. “I’m simply concerned for your well-being.”

“If you really gave a shit, Angel, you’d be concerned for  _ his _ well-being too!” Kyu barked back.

I felt a pit in my stomach. I was getting an especially bad feeling about this. As I approached, I got a proper view of the scene: Hope in the middle, his hands clasped tightly together against his chest, his expression one of anxiety as he watched the argument. He gave me a welcoming yet uneasy smile as he saw me. To my left was Kyu, snarling and angry, her golden tails raised and fur standing on end. She looked ready to kill.

My eyes then glided over to the person she seemed so angry at. Angel. More than any hybrid I’ve seen before, he was almost—  _ almost— _ human. But somehow, that made him seem even stranger. He had no muzzle, no fur or feathers, just pale skin and a normal human face. Except… it wasn’t normal, not really. That skin was too white. Too  _ perfect _ , even, one solid, pale hue from head to toe. His visage, too, flawlessly symmetrical, with teal hair in even locks framing too-big eyes with huge red irises. His ears were long and pointed, yet too… too  _ flat  _ to be human or even elven.

His frame was too slight, too dainty, and here were the most alien features of all. Wide, flat… tendrils, I guessed, loosely draped from all around his waist over his legs, as if to resemble a dress or robe made of ribbons. And a bright red fin jutted from the center of his chest, a single spike running along the center of his ribcage, like he had just been stabbed from behind with a broad blade. He wore form-fitting clothes— awfully plain sandals, pants beneath his tendrils, a simple tee above them (a hole carefully cut in it to allow his fin), all in muted hues that left his natural looks on full display.

My tails informed me of the beyond, of knowing what shouldn’t be known, of mind-over-matter. It was similar to the sensation I got from Lugia some time ago. Psychic-type. But then there was this overwhelming sensation of… Other. Alien, but not the space kind of alien. More like that utterly foreign, unknowable fae magic from the oldest tales. What kind of hybrid was he…?

He regarded me with a calm, dispassionate smile. “Ah. You must be Eon. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Bull- _ shit _ ,” Kyu growled. “Why don’t you tell him how you  _ really _ feel?”

He did glance at Kyu for that, frowning and raising an eyebrow. “I just did. I said it’s nice to meet him.”

Kyu’s ear twitched, glancing between me and him, and she snarled. “Hope, can you please—”

She was cut off by the hawk girl plummeting to the ground, just like she’d done in front of me. All of us stumbled in the following burst of wind, cutting off the introductions.

“I brought Eon,” she said, terse as before. “See? He looks even less human than you. So he’s definitely not a human.”

“ _ Fera! _ ” Kyu shrieked. Immediately after she glanced my way, then withered under my look of horror. “...I was trying to find a good way to explain this.”

“You told him?” I said, barely.

“I didn’t! Not— not  _ really _ , anyway, he figured it out himself somehow! And I just… just—”

“You couldn’t convince him that Eon wasn’t actually human. So I found him,” the hawk girl— Fera, I took it— interjected. “Clearly, Kyu’s right and Angel’s wrong.”

“It’s not that  _ simple _ , Fera,” Kyu grumbled, a hand rubbing her forehead.

“But why was this… even a debate?” I asked, choosing my words carefully.

“You must understand, Eon,” Angel spoke up, “that a human becoming a hybrid is wholly unprecedented.” His smile got only the tiniest bit wider at my focused, anxious glare. Soothing or sadistic? I couldn’t tell. “I couldn’t believe the rumors at first, but when I followed up on them, there was simply no other explanation.”

“He was talking to us all concerned about how this could be dangerous and how it might represent some kind of ‘human infiltration’ by the Aether Foundation or some BS like that,” Kyu furthered.

“You’re putting words in my mouth,” Angel countered. “I never said I believed any of that. Merely that those ideas were part of the rumors, and I wanted more information. Kyu did speak indirectly, but it was enough to confirm the truth of things.”

“Oh that’s not at  _ all _ how you were talking, though,” Kyu snarled. “You still think Eon’s a dirty human, don’t you?”

“Well.” He gestured my way with graceful ease. “A Ninetales is rather difficult to mistake for a human.”

“So you’ll fight for his rights too? With all your advocate stuff?” Kyu pressed.

“I advocate for the well-being and equal treatment for all of hybrid-kind,” Angel smoothly replied.

“You’re avoiding the question,” Hope interjected, shifting from anxiety to a sort of shaky resolution. “You haven’t explicitly stated whether you think Eon is a hybrid.”

“Eon is a hybrid, of course,” Angel spoke without a hint of hesitation.

Hope just frowned at that, looking even more uneasy.

The pale hybrid’s smile finally dropped. “I’m just so confused; I think that’s all you’re picking up on,” he said, a hint of concern woven into his calm voice. “Did I misrepresent my point? I’m just trying to help all of you— Eon, too, and I can’t believe I have to specify that. You know how important the health and happiness of  _ all _ hybrids is to me.”

Hope winced badly at that. “I’m sorry, I just— I still have this bad feeling about all this.”

“If you have a bad feeling about him, maybe he shouldn’t be on the team,” Fera commented, placing herself between Hope and Angel.

Angel didn’t speak. Eventually he glanced at me, then at Kyu, who had heat billowing around her. “I thought you were better than this, Angel. I’ve put up with your little ‘what ifs’ and conspiracy theories because you’re our best fighter, but if you’re gonna interfere in my personal life and then lie about it, that’s where I draw the line.”

Angel drew himself up in some faint show of indignance, but it took him a moment to respond. “A Doubles team can only operate on trust and mutual understanding. We have no hope of cooperating if we can’t put our faith in one another.”

“Yeah, that’s rich, coming from you. I’m with Fera on this one. We’ll win without you.”

Hope, wordless, still seemed to get a little more resolute himself.

“Fine.” His calm breaking, his voice tense, Angel turned to leave. “I know when I’m not welcome. I wish you all a good day, and good luck in the Fall Battle Tournament.” Then he turned and left, his steps too graceful, his stride too long.

Stunned, I was rooted in place, only able to watch him go as the hybrids around me settled down. The argument just came and went and, though it was about me, it seemed to proceed entirely without me.

And what to make of Angel? So calm and collected throughout, until the end where everyone accused him of lying, or at least being misleading. Did he leave because he was offended at not being believed, or was that a lie too? And if he was lying about all that… From the way Kyu was talking, it sounds like he really hates me. For… being human. My tails curled tightly together. My worst fears might be coming true.

“Sorry about that, Eon,” Kyu said, her anger finally dissipated. “I am starting to really hate that guy…”

“Okay,” I spoke up. “What.  _ Happened. _ ”

Kyu took a deep breath, then sighed, slumping to the ground. She rubbed her forehead with her fingers. “Hope, do you mind…?”

“Not at all,” he replied smoothly, now much more resembling the happy, peaceful Absol I’d met earlier in the week. He looked my way and smiled, giving a little wave. “Oh, it’s nice to see you again, by the way.”

Bemused, I waved back.

Hope steepled his fingers and took a moment to think. “Okay. From the top: Fera, Kyu, Angel and I are—  _ were _ an HMA Doubles team. We were hoping to compete in the Fall Battle Tournament together. Earlier today, Kyu mentioned that she was tutoring you on some basic Fire-type techniques. Techniques  _ so _ basic most would think she was teaching a six-year-old.”

I tried not to feel embarrassed.

“So our Gardevoir companion, quite unexpectedly, asked if it was the transformed human— his words, not mine. And… see, Angel is kind of an interesting case. He does a lot of work on and off campus trying to fight for hybrid rights and equal treatment, but people have always suspected him of holding far more extreme views. Thinks hybrids should all act a certain way to show their superiority, only get with other hybrids, stuff like that. But no one has any real proof of it, or just don’t care.”

“He’s really good at couching it in all these hypotheticals and worst-case-scenarios and ‘people are saying’ and all this other flowery shit ‘cause he knows he’ll have to deny it later,” Kyu added. “So like with us, I dunno if he was trying to scope out if we sympathize or what, but he kept saying stuff like you might be dangerous but he’s ‘just concerned for my safety’ and shit like that. He  _ really _ pissed me off, so I jumped to your defense and started that whole argument you ran into.”

“Dangerous? How on earth could I be dangerous?” I gave her a quizzical look. “Didn’t Hope just say I’m as tough as a six-year-old?”

“Not  _ that _ kind of dangerous, more like the, like… morally degenerate dangerous, y’know?”

I blinked a couple times, then closed my eyes and sighed. I’d never escape people like that, apparently.

“Um, also, I recorded the whole thing,” Hope quietly spoke up, pulling out his phone. “The audio, at least. If you want to hear his words directly.”

“R— really?! Why didn’t you say something earlier?” Kyu exclaimed, her tails raised. We all stepped closer to the Absol.

Hope ducked his head. “I didn’t want Angel to know, and then I forgot,” he admitted. “It was hard enough watching you two argue. But I had a feeling more evidence of this stuff can help us in, um. Dealing with him.”

Kyu made a sort of exasperated grunt. “That’s good, I guess. And at least you didn’t just try and quote-unquote  _ fix everything _ again.”

“I-I’m working on it, yeah,” Hope replied, tail low. “Um, I got the recording ready; everyone listening?”

We all leaned in to hear the audio coming from the phone.

“...know the Aether Foundation alone has made disturbing progress in recent years,” Angel’s muffled voice said in a low, cautious tone. “Is it really so hard to believe?”

“As a matter of fact, it is.” Quick and dismissive came Kyu’s voice.

“Kyu. Hope. Fera. Listen to me. People are  _ very  _ nervous about what this could mean, so I just want to know what’s really going on. What if a human becoming a hybrid is as dangerous as they say? Especially if they’re an Aether plant… You have to admit the theory makes some amount of sense.”

“Or maybe, he’s just a completely regular guy!” Kyu countered.

“Forgive me if I’m unconvinced. What if this is just the first of many humans entering hybrid society? Doesn’t that worry you?”

“It doesn’t,” Kyu said, a little more forcefully. “Honestly you’re treating him like he’s just a human  _ pretending _ to be a hybrid, instead of one of us in full.”

“Well, he doesn’t have our history or our culture, you know. Just our skin and powers.”

“Is that not enough for you?!” Kyu growled the words.

“I’m just unsure. This is new territory for all of us, isn’t it?”

“Hope, what does Eon look like?” That voice belonged to Fera. “You said you met him on Sunday.”

“Shiny Ninetales— silver fur, long hair, about my height, but really I think he’s the only other Ninetales on campus.”

“Okay.” There came a rushing sound like strong winds— that must have been when Fera flew off to look for me.

Angel continued unhindered. “For all we know— and I admit this is crazy speculation— but for all we know he could be a saboteur or a mole for any one of the many anti-hybrid terrorist groups in the US.”

“Actually, I do know, and he’s a very sweet guy that’s going through a lot right now, and people like  _ you _ spreading these rumors sure isn’t helping!”

“How can you know that? How can you  _ really _ know you can trust him?”

“Because I was  _ there _ when it happened!”

The recording went quiet for a moment. I thought it ended, but thereafter Angel breathed, “So, you’re the one responsible?”

“No.” That was technically correct.

“But you at least know what caused it?”

“...No.” Also technically correct.

“Then it sounds like we’re right back where we started, except that you happened to be nearby.”

“I’m not gonna drop him just because you think he might be dangerous in some batshit crazy conspiracy theory hypothetical!”

“All I’m saying is that it might be best to show some caution around him and—”

“And all  _ I’m _ saying is that it’s none of your  _ fucking business _ who I spend time with!”

“There’s no need to raise your voice. I’m simply concerned for your—”

Hope had paused the recording. “This is when you showed up, right?”

“Yeah,” I confirmed in a quiet voice. My hands were shaking now, with my tails writhing over one another behind me. I felt very strongly that I never wanted to be around anyone ever again.

“It’s going to be okay, Eon,” Hope said, gingerly resting a hand on my shoulder. My tails slowed a bit.

But still, I sighed. “So, there goes my big secret. Half the campus is gonna know by tomorrow, if they don’t already. And then I’ll have no friends and lots of enemies.”

“I… I wouldn’t be sure, actually.” Hope scratched his chin, thinking it over. “That’s not the feeling I get. I think he knows he’ll sound crazy if he goes around telling everyone that those rumors are true. Remember, he only figured it out because he did all this work putting all the info together, and then hearing it from Kyu directly. Otherwise, a human becoming a hybrid hasn’t ever happened before, you know? So I feel like most people wouldn’t even listen to him about that.”

I nodded, but frowned nonetheless. “You just…  _ feel _ like that’s the case.”

“Hey!” Fera suddenly screeched. “Trust Hope! His feelings are never wrong!”

I glanced with some bemusement at the giant hawk girl, realizing for the first time just how much she tended close to the Absol.

“It’s true, though,” Kyu added. “Kinda scary sometimes, even.”

Hope just smiled.

“So… we’re safe, then? Nothing to worry about other than this one guy hating me?”

Hope winced. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that either. He’s studied a lot of politics and social media and sociological stuff; he knows what it takes to sway social consensus. I’m feeling he’ll find a way to make some people hate us. But, even then!” He got very insistent all of a sudden. “I think a lot of people are like Kyu! They’ll stick up for you no matter what they hear!”

“Even though they weren’t there to see it happen?” I countered.

“Most people are fundamentally good.” Hope stood steadfast.

“This is bullshit,” Kyu grumbled, absentmindedly running her fingers through her tail fur. “If anyone’s the traitor, he is. Stupid fucking Gardevoir, trying to get people in on his toxic conspiracies, smiling the whole time… God, what I wouldn’t do to wrap him all up in my tails and just…” She clenched her hands, her claws on full display. “...immolate him.”

“If you fight him in HMA you can,” Fera pointed out. “If we find someone to replace him, we can still make a team, and then if he makes a team, sooner or later we’ll have a match and everyone will let you burn him until his organs bubble out of his throat and eye sockets.”

I blanched. She said it so casually, and from the way she was looking, she expected us to agree with her.

Hope cringed at my look of horror, and pulled Fera into a one-armed hug. To my further surprise, she accepted it without a fuss, wrapping a winged arm softly around him in turn. The much smaller Absol was nearly cloaked in feathers. “What my Staraptor friend means is that HMA will let us work out our anger without any serious social implications. Plus, the fighting has a way of… working things out between hybrids; we may even sway Angel to our side with a good battle. And, ah, don’t worry! No, erm… no organ boiling will take place! Remember when Maxwell and Anubis fought?”

Right. Maxwell had survived what looked like the surface of the sun for a full minute.

“I bet you could if you tried hard enough,” Fera grumbled.

“Th-that’s enough, now,” Hope stammered, wincing again.

“Okay,” Fera said. “So, who should we ask to join our team?”

“Not convinced Angel’s gonna come right back with a rebound team, but I mean we still need a new fourth member ourselves…” Kyu mused.

“Why not Eon?” Hope replied, smiling sweetly at me.   
  


I yelped. “M-me? I mean, I’m flattered, but— again, remember when you said I’m learning six-year-old stuff?”

“I’m sure you’ll learn fast! Plus, it’d really put a dent in Angel’s theory that you’re not really a hybrid if you’re out battling like the rest of us. And then, really, I just have a good feeling about you!”

“Then it’s settled,” Fera nodded. “Welcome to the team, Eon.” Kyu and I both immediately protested, causing the Staraptor to scowl. “You know he’s right! He’s always right!”

Kyu pressed some fingers to her forehead. “Sure, but, like, can I say my two cents please?” We all went quiet, and she continued. “Right, okay. So Eon’s made… pretty good progress— actually, how did your Heat Sap training go, did you get a chance?”

“This morning, yeah. I could nearly put out my fire bath, but then the flames would just spring right back up,” I explained.

Kyu made a squeaking sound, her eyes widening. “Your  _ whole bath _ ? Wait, like— how big was the fire? How long have you been practicing?”

“Filled the bottom of the basin, spent about an hour on it?” I shrugged.

Kyu smacked her hands to her face. “He’s got my vote,” she grumbled.

I frowned. “What is it? I’m confused.”

“That’s really fucking good,” she explained. “It took me weeks to be able to do that.” Her throat worked for a bit, as if it was hard for her to continue speaking. “You’re probably more of a natural than I am… maybe.”

I smiled, pride swelling my heart before reality deflated it again. “Okay, but like… you guys are all still years ahead of me, right? Same with everyone else competing?”

“There’s no rule against beginners joining,” Hope said. “But… Yeah. I can’t think of any first-timers planning to compete this semester.”

“If you’re learning so fast, then maybe it doesn’t matter,” Fera commented.

“Kinda what I’m banking on, too,” Kyu added. “I’m gonna be honest, you are still  _ really _ behind. But if you can keep learning at this rate, you might be up to speed by our first major battle. Gonna be some bitter work though.”

I glanced at Hope, expecting him to give his own opinion on my viability. “I believe in you,” is all he said.

I sighed, sitting down to think things over. I had just been given the opportunity to take my fire powers to the next level, and to be down there fighting like Anubis was earlier this week. But… then again, if even a few dozen people are watching, that’s a few dozen hybrids getting literal front row seats to me embarrassing myself.

Plus, I was going to be forced in the spotlight one way or another. It would reflect badly on me if I hardly had control of my powers; maybe people would begin to believe Angel about my past. And like the Absol said, what more of a hybrid-like thing could I do than participate in their unique martial art? ...Then again, if my performance was  _ particularly _ bad, I’d only show off how little of a hybrid I was anyway.

I felt caught between a rock and a hard place. If I didn’t participate, I’d embarrass myself just by existing. If I did, I’d embarrass myself by being so bad at it. There was just no way I’d do well, of course. Mediocre, maybe, if I’m lucky. So I’d have to hope that I’m mediocre, and that mediocre was enough.

I glanced up at my potential teammates. Fera was watching me quietly, patiently— unnervingly like a predator in wait. Kyu tapped a paw less patiently against the ground, her claws clacking on the concrete. Hope’s sweet smile never went away. Could I get along with them? Kyu had quite boldly defended me, even if it was from her own mistake. Hope had been nothing but kind to me since the moment I met him. And Fera…

Well, I still didn’t know anything about Fera, other than that she was kind of scary. But she seemed to trust me, and Hope and Kyu seemed to trust her in turn. Maybe I could, too.

So many considerations. They might still be my friends if I didn’t participate, but just not as close. I could find other ways to train my hybrid powers to keep up appearances, but without companions and competition, they wouldn’t be as sharp. Everything had a drawback, there was no easy answer— what could I possibly pick?

Did I have a gut feeling about any of this?

…

...I did.

“I’ll join your team."


End file.
